Quick-adjustmg wrench



Feb. 21, 1956 P. s. MORGAN 2,735,326

QUICK-ADJUSTING WRENCH Filed April 22, 1952 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent QUICK-ADJUSTING WRENCH Porter S. Morgan, Westport, Conn., assignor to I. L. Hartenberg, Fairfield, Conn., as trustee Application April 22, 1952, Serial No. 283,559

14 Claims. (Cl. 81100) This invention relates to adjustable wrenches, such as Stillson wrenches, monkey wrenches and the like, and more particularly to automatic or quick-setting adjustable wrenches having a stepless braking or locking action.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved automatic or quick-setting wrench, which is capable of handling heavy working forces without slipping or otherwise becoming inoperative, yet which may be easily and quickly adjusted to the desired size or setting.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved Stillson type wrench, characterized by quick and easy adjustment of the jaws to the desired size, and absence of slippage under heavy working forces.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustable wrench according to either of the foregoing, which is of simple yet rugged construction, having relatively few parts and capable of being inexpensively produced.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustable wrench as above set forth, wherein a predetermined relationship may be established between the holding forces of the jaws and the forces needed for release of the jaws by a simple, easily effected proportioning and shaping of the components.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved, quick-acting adjustable wrench, wherein the jaws may be easily and quickly released, this being effected with simple and inexpensive mechanism.

A feature of the invention resides in the novel construction of the parts to provide for easy and quick assembly thereof into the completed wrench.

In accomplishing the above objects I provide a novel wrench structure comprising jaws having relative closing and opening movement, one jaw having a rack and the other jaw having an out-of-round bearing rotatably carrying a brake wheel having afiixed to it a toothed wheel which meshes with the rack. The brake wheel is wedged and locked against turning in response to force applied to the jaws in the opening direction. Closing force applied to the jaws, however, merely results in rotation of the toothed wheel and brake wheel accompanied by quick movement of the jaws to the desired adjustment.

In the specific embodiments of the invention illustrated herein the out-of-round bore in the one jaw has one portion which is cylindrical and permits free turning of the brake wheel when engaged thereby, and has another portion provided with walls which are so tapered or sloped as to wedge and lock the brake wheel when engaged thereby. Movement of the movable jaw can shift the brake wheel against either of the portions of the out-of round bore, selectively in accordance with the direction of movement.

Quick-acting and effective release means is provided, comprising a pointed finger or pin engaging the periphery of the brake wheel at an angle to wedge the latter against the free turning portion of the out-of-round bore, thereby to release the jaws for opening movement.

In the illustrated embodiments of the invention, two brake wheels are provided, one on each side of the toothed 2,735,326 Patented Feb. 21, 1956 wheel, said brake wheels having larger diameters than the toothed wheel, thereby to provide a desirable mechanical advantage and insure against slippage of the jaws when they are subjected to powerful forces during use of the wrench. The rack which meshes with the toothed wheel passes between and engages the brake wheels and holds the entire Wheel assembly in position and against axial movement, thereby providing for a greatly simplified assembly.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an improved quick-acting Stillson-type wrench made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, illustrating the interior parts of the wrench.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the wrench partly in elevation and partly in section, the section being taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of an improved quick-acting monkey wrench made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the device shown in Fig. l, looking'at the device from the left.

The Stillson-type wrench shown in Figs. l'through 3 comprises a pair of jaws 10 and 11 mounted to have relative closing and opening movement, the jaw 11 having a body 12 provided with a longitudinal passageway 13 which receives a shank 14 extending from the jaw 10.

The body portion 12 of the jaw 11 has ahandle 15 by which the wrench may be operated to tighten or loosen objects, as is well understood.

In accordance with the present invention an improved quickly releasable brake or locking mechanism is associated with the jaws 10 and 11 to enable them to be quickly closed to any desired setting, and to be automatically held in said setting against opening in spite of powerful working forces tending to separate the jaws. This mechanism comprises a toothed wheel 16 rotatably carried by the body 12 of the jaw 11, said wheel meshing with tooth formations 14a on the shank 14 (which formations enable the shank to function as a rack).

The body portion 12 of the jaw has an out-of-round bore or opening 17 in which there are disposed the toothed wheel 16 and brake wheels 18 fixedly secured to opposite sides of the toothed wheel 16. The peripheral surfaces of the brake wheels 18 are adapted to engage the walls of the bore 17, and the latter has a substantially semicylindrical lower portion 19 of slightly larger diameter than the brake wheels 18 to provide a running fit therefor. The bore 17 has an upper portion provided with sloping or tapering walls 20 arranged to wedge and lock the brake wheels 18 when the latter are shifted into engagement with said walls. The bore 17 is seen to extend at right angles to, and to partly intersect the passageway 13 which accommodates the shank 14. The axes of said bore and passageway are spaced apart, that of the bore 17 being located forwardly of the axis of the passageway 13.

With the structure as set forth above, the toothed wheel 16 and the brake wheels 18 may freely turn as a unit in the lower portion of the bore 17, in response to closing movement of the jaw 10. However, if it should be attempted to raise the jaw 10 or open the jaws, the brake wheels 18 will be shifted upwardly into engagement with the wedging surfaces 20, thus locking the wheels and the toothed wheel 16 and preventing opening movement of the aws.

I have found that a very desirable, effective and reliable locking action is had when the diameters of the brake wheels 18 are made larger than the pitchdiameter of the toothed wheel 16. When the wheels are so pro- .portioned, a mechanical advantage .is obtained which enables powerful forces acting on the jaw to be completely counteracted by the braking and wedging action ..of the brake wheels 18, thus effectively preventingsepa ration of the jaws 19 and 11.

Moreover, by forming the brake wheels 18 of larger diameter, the rack or shank 14-will pass between peripheral portions of the brake Wheels 18 and engage the ..latter,lthereby effectively preventing axial movement of .the -.wheel. assemblage and automatically maintaining the -:assembly ofthe wrench intact without further holding structure.

:The jaw 10 has a working positiomshown by the dotted outline in Fig. 2, which-is different from its at-rest position gshownin thefull lines. Such working position is reached -aby:rocking..or pivoting thejaw 10 andshank' 14 about the toothed wheel 16, and the pivoting action is made 2ipossihlebysproviding.the passageway 13 with oppositeiyshared-portions resulting in enlarged ends. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there are diverging walls 21 and 22 defin- -.-ing .the' upper flared portion of the passageway 13, and ;.diverging walls- 23 and 24. defining the lower flared portion of the passageway 13.

"For'the purpose. .of yieldably holding the jaw 10 in its ninoperative position, thepassageway 13 is provided with a slot 25 in which a leaf spring 26 is disposed, engagaingzthe back surface 27 of the shank 14.

By the present invention novel and improved means .are provided for releasing the wheel assembly when it sis-in zlockedposition. This means comprises fingers or pins 28 having sharp end portions constituting wedges, -said fingers being slidably mounted in the body portion 12, and being engageable with the peripheries of the '2 brake wheels 18. The path of movement of the pins 28 .if extended beyond the brake'wheels would pass a substantial distance above the axis of said wheels, thereby :providing an effective wedging action tending to shift the wheels downward into the free-fitting portion 19 ofuthe bore 17. .The fingers 28 are mounted on a lever 13!). pivoted on the handle '15 at 31, said lever being nor- --mally.yieldably. held in a forward position, as shown, by r a helical compression spring 32.

It will be understood that-when the lever "30 is de '1- pressed, it will shift the 'fingers28 inward and move the -brake wheels 18 downward into the free running portion 19 of the bore 17, thereby enabling the jaw 10 and shank '14 to..be shifted easily and quickly either upward or. downward.

. An alternative release means is also provided by the invention, comprising a shaft 33 passing through the 1' Wheels 16 and 18 and being loosely carried thereby, the QendsaOf the shaft 33 having'rigidly secured thereto fin- ;ger-engageabledisks 34. The assembly ofshaft 33 and .-.;disks: 34, is :freely rotatable, and accordingly the disks may urbe graspedfibetween 'thefingers to draw the brake wheels ..;downward into.the free running portion 19- of the'bore 1'7;=- andwhilethe disks areso grasped the jaw 10 and a shank 14 may be shifted quickly either upward or down- .ward, such movement being accompanied by turning of the wheels 16 and18.

::For any given locking force assigned to the jaws, the ease "with'which release of the wheel assembly may be accomplished-is a function of the ratio between the diameter of the brake wheels 18 and the toothed wheel 16, taken with the effective acute angle defined by the wedging surfaces 20. If the brake wheels 18 are made "of'larger diameter, than the angle between the wedging surfaces 20 may be increased, and vice versa. Any increase in the angle between the wedging surfaces 26 will result in less force being required to shift the brake wheels out of wedging engagement. It will be understood that a smaller angle between the wedging-surfaces 20will resultin a morersecure locking or wedging,..and for a givendesired locking force of. the jaws, suchangle would be associated with a. brake wheel of .smallerrdiameter.

I have found that a wrench made in accordance with the above structure is simple and effective in operation, may be easily and quickly adjusted to the desired setting, and may exert a powerful grasp on the object to be turned, without slippage. The parts making up the wrench are relatively few in number, and simple and economical to fabricate, and their assembly is quick and easy. It will be understood that if the shank 14should be withdrawn from the passageway 13, the wheels 16 and 18 maybe shifted axially out of the bore 17.

In Fig. 4 a monkey wrench is shown, made in accordance with the invention. In this figure parts which are similar to those already described have been given like characters. The difference between the wrench shown in Fig. 4 and the Stillson-type wrench shown in Figs. 1, 2 and'3is mainly in the shape of'the jaws and the shape of the wheel-carrying-body. The jaws -lila-and -l1a in 'Fig. 4 are straight or fiat and smooth, toenablethem to closely fit opposite sides of an hexagonal nut orthe like.

'The body 12a attached to the jaw 11a has an elongate passageway 13a which is of substantially uniform 'cross section throughout, thereby providing a close-fitting slide bearing for the shank 14 and preventing the latter from having any rocking movement whatsoever. :1 Operation of the wrench shown in Fig. -4 is substantially similar to that already disclosed above, except that the jaw 10a andthe shank 14 will have purely translational movement, and cannot be made to rock aboutthe toothed wheel 16 as in the Stillson-type wrench.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scopeof the claims and portions of the improvements maybe used without others.

I claim: 1. An adjustable wrench comprising a pair of jaws .having relative closing and opening movement, one of said jaws having a shank provided with toothformations extending along the direction of said movement; a toothed wheel rotatably carried by the other jaw, meshingwith said tooth formations; a friction brake wheel secured to the toothed wheel to turn therewith and control theturnting thereof, both saidiwheels being free to rotate inre- -;sponse torelative closing movement of said jaws; means providing a fixed brake surface on the wheel-carrying jaw, said brakesurface being inclined with respect to the "direction .of movement ofsaid shank .and being engageable by an annular portion of said brake -wheel;--means -.on.said wheel-carrying jaw, guiding said brake wheel into wedgingengagement with said brake surface to =l0ck'the wheels against turning in response to force applied to'the -toothed: wheel by said tooth formations in the direction tion ofmovement of the shank being relatively large, thereby to enable the brake-wheel to effectively prevent slippage of said wheels during said application of force to the gear wheel, said large angle of inclination providing'for ready release of the wedged brake wheel in response to transaxial force applied thereto; and'an elongate handle .aflixed toandextending'from one jaw, for manipulating the jawsas a whole when the wrenchisbeing used. 2. The invention as definedin claim 1 in .which the tmeansguiding the brake wheel into wedging engagement with the brake surface comprises asecond fixed .brake surface on the wheel-carrying jaw, .engageable by the brakewheel, said second brake surface at its point of engagement being substantially parallel to :the direction of movement of the shank .and making thesame angle as said direction with-the first brake surface.

5 3. The inventionas defined in claim l'in which the means guiding' the-brake wheel comprises a'-secondfi1ed brake surface on the wheel-carrying jaw, engageable by the annular portion of said brake wheel, the engaged portion of said second fixed brake surface being substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the shank and making the same angle as said direction with the first brake surface, and in which there is a semicylindrical bearing surface engageable with the said annular portion of the brake wheel to provide for said free rotation thereof.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which there is a second brake wheel of the same size as the first, fixedly secured to said wheels, in which there is a second brake surface on the wheel-carrying jaw, engageable with the second brake wheel, said brake wheels being disposed on opposite sides of the toothed wheel, in which the wheelcarrying jaw has bearing surfaces engageable with the brake wheels to provide for their free rotation and to prevent appreciable edgewise movement thereof, and in which said tooth formation on the shank comprises a rack extending between and engaging said brake wheels and preventing appreciable axial movement of all the Wheels.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which there is a second brake wheel of the same diameter as the first, fixedly secured to the opposite side of the toothed wheel, in which there is a second brake surface on the wheelcarrying jaw, engageable by said second brake wheel, in which the tooth formations comprise a rack extending between the peripheral portions of the brake wheels, said rack and brake wheels being engageable with each other to provide for axial positioning of said Wheels.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the ratio of the diameters of the brake wheel and toothed wheel is so related to the slope of the brake surface at the point of wedging engagement, said slope being measured with respect to said direction of movement of the shank, as to effect a secure locking of the brake wheel within the range of the force applied to the toothed wheel by the tooth formations.

7. An adjustable wrench comprising a pair of jaws having relative closing and opening movement, one of said jaws having a shank provided with tooth formations extending along the direction of said movement; a toothed wheel rotatably carried by the other jaw, meshing with said tooth formations; a friction brake wheel secured to the toothed wheel to turn therewith and control the turning thereof, both said wheels being free to rotate in response to relative closing movement of said jaws; means providing a fixed brake surface on the wheel-carrying jaw, engageable by an annular portion of said brake wheel; means on said wheel-carrying jaw, guiding said brake wheel into wedging engagement with said brake surface to lock the wheels against turning in response to force applied to the toothed wheel by said tooth formations in the direction of opening movement thereof, thereby to prevent opening of the jaws, said brake wheel having a greater diameter than the toothed wheel to effectively prevent slippage of said wheels during said application of force to the gear wheel; an elongate handle affixed to and extending from one jaw, for manipulating the jaws as a whole when the wrench is being used; and means for shifting the brake wheel from wedging engagement with the brake surface, said means comprising a manuallyoperable part movably mounted on the wheel-carrying jaw, and said part having a finger engaging the annular portion of the brake wheel to shift the latter edgewise out of said wedging engagement when said part is manually operated.

8. An adjustable wrench comprising a pair of jaws having relative closing and opening movement, one of said jaws having a shank provided with tooth formations extending along the direction of said movement; a toothed wheel rotatably carried by the other jaw, meshing with said tooth formations; a friction brake wheel secured to the toothed wheel to turn therewith and control the turning thereof, both said wheels being free to rotate in response to relative closing movement of said jaws; means providing a fixed brake surface on the wheel-carrying jaw, engageable by an annular portion of said brake wheel; means on said wheel-carrying jaw, guiding said brake wheel into wedging engagement with said brake surface to lock the wheels against turning in response to force applied to the toothed wheel by said tooth formations in the direction of opening movement thereof, thereby to prevent opening of the jaws, said brake wheel having a greater diameter than the toothed wheel to effectively prevent slippage of said wheels during said application of force to the gear wheel; an elongate handle aflixed to and extending from one jaw, for manipulating the jaws as a whole when the wrench is being used; a second brake wheel of the same diameter as the first, fixedly secured to the opposite side of the toothed wheel, said wheelcarrying jaw having a second brake surface engageable by the second brake wheel, said tooth formations comprising a rack extending between the peripheral portions of the brake wheels, said rack and brake wheels being engageable with each other to provide for axial positioning of said wheels; and disks rotatably mounted on the exposed ends of the brake wheels and each located laterally outside the adjacent surface of the wheel-carrying jaw, said disks being arranged to be grasped between the fingers to enable the wheels to be shifted or held out of wedging engagement with the brake surfaces.

9. In an adjustable wrench, a pair of jaws having relative closing and opening movement, one of said jaws hav ing a shank provided with tooth formations extending along the direction of said movement; a rotatable toothed wheel meshing with said tooth formations; a pair of friction brake wheels fixedly secured to opposite sides of the toothed wheel to turn therewith and to control the turning thereof, said other jaw having a body provided with an out-of-round bore a portion of which provides a turning bearing for engagement with the peripheries of the brake'wheels, said bore having another portion provided with sloping wedging surfaces engageable by said peripheries of the wheels, the slopes of said surfaces at their points of engagement making a small acute angle with each other, and said bore being so positioned that all the wheels are free to rotate in response to relative closing movement of the jaws to clamp an object, said brake wheels being wedged and locked against turning in response to force applied to the toothed wheel by said tooth formations in the direction of opening movement of the jaws; and means for shifting the brake wheel from wedging engagement with the brake surfaces, said means comprising wedges movably mounted on the body of the wheel-carrying jaw and engageable with the peripheries of the brake wheels.

10. In an adjustable wrench, a pair of jaws having relative closing and opening movement, one of said jaws having a shank provided with tooth formations extending along the direction of said movement; a rotatable toothed wheel meshing with said tooth formations; a pair of friction brake wheels fixedly secured to opposite sides of the toothed wheel to turn therewith and to control the turning thereof, said other jaw having a body provided with an out-of-round bore a portion of which provides a turning bearing for engagement with the peripheries of the brake wheels, said bore having another portion provided with sloping wedging surfaces engageable by said peripheries of the wheels, the slopes of said surfaces at their points of engagement making a small acute angle with each other, and said bore being so-positioned that all the wheels are free to rotate in response to relative closing movement of the jaws to clamp an object, said brake wheels being wedged and locked against turning in response to force applied to the toothed wheel by said tooth formations in the direction of opening movement of the jaws; and means for shifting the brake wheel from wedging engagement with the brake surfaces, said means comprising wedges movably mounted on the body I .oiihe wheehcarrying jaw and .engageable withathe pe- .ripheries. .of the brake wheels, and.comp'rising..a"finger shank extends, and having a bore :extendingat right angles to and intersecting the passageway; a toothed wheel rotata-bly carried in the bore of .the other jaw, meshing .with said teeth on the shank; apair.of'friction-brake whe'elsin said bore, said wheels. having peripheries engagingthe bore and beingsecured' to oppositesidesof the toothed wheel to turn therewith-and control the turn- .ing-thereof, said passageway having oppositely flared portions providing enlarged ends to permit'the shank .and its jaw to rock a limited amount about the toothed wheel and said bore having semicylindrical portions providing free-turning bearing surfaces for the brake wheels, and

having other portions providing sloping wedging surfaces engageable by said Wheels to lock the latter, the posi- 'tion of said bore being such that all the wheels are free to rotate in response to relative closing movement or" the jaws to clamp an object but are wedged and locked against turning in response to force applied to the toothed wheel by said shank inthe direction of opening move- ;ment of the jaws. 12. In aStillson-type wrench, a pair of jaws having relative closing and opening movement, one of said jaws havingashank provided with teeth extending along the direction of .said movement and the other jaw having a body provided with .a passageway through which said shank extends, and having a bore extending at right :angles to and intersecting the passageway; a toothed wheel rotatably' carried in the bore of the other jaw, meshing IS with said teeth on'the shank; a pair oftriction brake wheels in said bore, said Wheelshaving peripheries. engaging'the bore and being securedto opposite .sides of the toothed wheel to turn therewith and control the .turning thereof, said passageway having oppositely flared-portions providing enlarged ends to permit .the shank and its jaw to rock a limited amount about the toothed wheel and said bore having semicylindrical portions providing free-turning bearing surfaces for the brake wheels, and having other portions providing sloping wedging surfaces engageaule by said wheels to lock. the latter, the position of said bore being such that all the wheels are free to rotate in response to relative closing movement of the jaws to clamp an object but are wedged and locked against turning in response to force applied to the toothed wheel by said shank in the direction of opening movement of the jaws; and manually operable means for shifting and maintaining the brake wheels out of their :locked positions, said means cornprising fingers movably mounted on the wheel-carrying jaw, engageablewith the peripheries of the brake Wheels to apply pressure thereto.

13. The invention as defined in claim 12 in which'the manually operable means includes a finger-engageable lever on the wheel-carrying jaw, connected to said finger to actuate the latter.

147 The invention as defined. in claim 12 in which the fingers have pointed wheel-engaging ends movable in a pathwvhich if extended would pass the axis of the brake wheels, thereby to subject said wheels to a wedging action.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 323,776 Bennett Aug. 4, 1885 656,410 Larsen Aug. 21, 1900 1,666,091 Giles Apr. 17, 1928 1,719,630 .Smith July2, 1929 1,966,064 Gloor July 10,1934 2,414,348 Worner Jan. 14, I947 

